Tire-heating furnace



(No Model.) J. KIEIEE..

TIRE HEATING TEENAGE.

Patented A11g.6, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN KIEFER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TIRE-HEATING -FU RNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,349, dated August6, 1889.

Application filed March 18, 1889. Serial No. 303,652. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KIEFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in. Tire-Heating Furnaces;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to tire-heating furnaces; and the object of theinvention is to provide a furnace in which hydrocarbon oils, as gasolineor the like, can be employed for generating the heat, and which isconvenient and economical for use in cities and other places where fuelis' an object, and where it is not practicableto have a stationaryfurnace or to heat the tire by a wood fire in the old way.

To this end the invention consists in a portable furnace provided with avapor-generator and its attachments and a chamber for heating the tire,as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a horizontal section of myimproved furnace on line @c Qc, Fig. 2, except at one side to show thehinged connection of the cover. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the furnace.Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2, to the left of the center, on an Fig. 4is an enlarged detail of one of the switches, and Fig. 5 a detail of theouter section of one of the distributingpipes in which the switch works.Fig. G is an enlarged cross-section of one side.

The plan upon which the furnace is built comprises a heating-chamber ofsuch dimensions as will accommodate vehicle-tires of the usual size forwagons, buggies, carriages, and the like, a single vapor-generator toprovide the vapor, and distributing and regulating apparatus between thegenerator and heatingchamber. In working out this plan to get the besteffects for the utilization of thevapor in heating of the tire, and topromote simplicity and convenience of structure, I make a circular orannular furnace formed with a baseplate 1, having legs or standards 2,of suitable height, attached thereto to give the furnace convenientelevation. Above and upon this base-plate are arranged a series ofconcentric compartments 3, formed by concentric plates 4, forming ringsof varying diameter and set upon their edges on the base-plate. Threesuch compartments and four concentric wall and division plates are hereshown, and these are sufficient for all ordinary purposes.

Of course if a larger furnace is desired the compartments can beincreased in number and the furnace built to accommodate larger tires.In the center of the open space within the inner wall of the furnace Iplace a generator 5, of any desired pattern, but of sutlieient size andcapacity to produce4 the requisite quantity of vapor to supply the needsof the furnace. From this generator or burner radiate a series ofvapor-distributing tubes G, which extend through openings 7 on the sameradial lines, centrally or thereabout, in the concentric plates or rings4. All these tubes pass through the plates 4 and extend slightly beyondor through the outer wall plate 4. Each tube has two or more openings 8,preferably upon opposite sides, in each compartment 3 for the emissionof vapor into said compartment, and the iiow of vapor into therespective compartments is controlled by a tubular switch 9, Fig. 4,provided with openings l0, which, when the switch is turned axiallyaround to the right position, will register with the openings S in thesupply-pipes. Itis designed in any event, in the size of fur nace hereshown, to use the middle compartment 3, whether a large or small tire isto be heated. I have therefore shown a double set of openings l0 tocorrespond with this compartment, and one or the other set will be open,according as the switch is turned to register with one or the other ofthe side compartments. A quarter-turn of the switch will throw it fromone registration to the other with the side switches, and so aneighth-turn from registration, or thereabout, with either will cut offthe supply of vapor to all the compartments.

The switches 9, of course, are closed at their outer extremity, and theyare designed to fit closely in the supply pipes or tubes, so that novapor will enter or escape between them. However, any suitablearrangementrequisite for confining the switch to its place and for IOOpreventing escape of gas about it may be adopted, if either is foundnecessary The switches are each provided with a rigid arm or lever 11,extending upwardly from their outer extremity, and a ring 12, runningabout the upper edge of the furnace, connects the said levers, wherebyall the switches may be simultaneously operated and opened and closed atwill. f

Having now provided for the introduction of the vapor to thecompartments 3, it is next to be introduced to the heating-chamber 13,which contains the tire-shown, for example, in cross-section at 14:,Fig. 3. A plate 15, corresponding substantially to the base-plate 1,covers the several compartments 3 and the concentric plates 4, and theseseveral vertical and horizontal plates 1 4t 15 are united by anysuitable means to form a firmand rigid structure. The concentric plates4, preferably, are made in sections and united, as seen at 16, Fig. 1;but this is not a material feature*that is, the plates may be made inlonger or shorter pieces and any practical way of joining the ends maybe adopted.

The plate l5 is provided with a series of holes or openings 17, Figs. 1and 3,wl1ich are dotted over its entire surface above the compartmentsA3, and it is through these openings that the vapor escapes into theheating-chamber about the tire. The heating-chamber extends the entirewidth of the furnace and has walls 18 and a cover 19, hinged as shownhere at 20, Fig. l.

The walls of the heating-chamber are set to leave an open space 21between them and the walls of compartments for the admission of air tosupport combustion, and the vapor is ignited at its point of escapethrough the openings 17 into the heating-chamber, so that the flame andheat will come `directly in contact with and envelop the tire, whichlies on bars or supports 22 just above openings 17,

and transverse to the furnace for supporting tires of greater or lessdiameter. If the tire be of the smaller size, the middle and innercompartments would be supplied with vap'or by a suitable movement of theswitches, and if the tire be of the larger size the middle and outercompartments could be so supplied. Of course the switches could be soformed as to supply vapor to only one compartment at a time; but I findadvantage in using two, which increases the volume of heat and insuresbetter and quicker results.

The switches are designed to be opened to allow a full free iiow of thevapor, so that there will be no such pressure of vapor in the pipes ortubes as would require a very tight packing of the switches therein. Asusual in vapor-generators, the pipes 6 will not be immediately connectedtherewith, but be in such relation or connection as to allow a certainquantity of air to be taken in with the vapor.

To allow the products of combustion to escape from the combustion orheating chamber, the cover of said chamber may be perforated, or it canbe partially raised to give vent at the sides.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tire-heating furnace having a concentric vapor-distributingcompartment, and a combustion-chamber for heating the tire adjoiningsaid compartment, with a plate bctween said compartment and said chamberperforated to pass the vapor to the combustion-chamber, in combinationwith a vaporgenerator and a series of pipes extending radially therefrominto thevapor-distributing compartment, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tire-heating furnace, a walled and covered combustionchamber inwhich the tire is heated, and a vapor-distributing compartment adjoiningsaid chamber, witha perforated plate separating it from thecombustion-chamber, in combination with a series of supply-pipesprovided with openings, through which the vapor enters the saiddistributingcompartment, substantially as set fort-h.

In a vapor-burning tire-furnace, a series of vapor-distributingcompartments, vaporsupply pipes passing through said compartments andprovided with openings into each compartment, and a tubular switchextending into each supply-pipe and having openings out of alignmentwith each other to reg-- ister with openings in the supply-pipe, wherebywhen the openings to one compartment are opened those to anothercompartment are closed, substantially as set forth.

Il. In a tire-heating furnace, concentric vapor-distributingcompartments, a series of radial pipes traversing the compartments atin-l tervals and extending through the outer compartment, tubularswitches seated in the outer extremities of said pipes and each providedwith a rigid arm, and a ring extending around the furnace, to which saidarms are attached, whereby all the switches may be simultaneouslyoperated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN KIEFER.

` Vitnesses:

` I. T. Conny,

IL T. FISHER.

IOL

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